Clutch



Om MN CLUTCH G. C. ROYSE Original Filed Aug. 20, 1936 Nov. 1, 1938.

Q M ATTORNEY Reissued Nov. 1, 1938 UNITED STATES CLUTCH' Grover C. Royse, Vallejo, Calif.

Original No. 2,107,308,

Serial No. 96,926, August 20, 1936.

dated February s, 1938, Application for reissue July 9, 1938, Serial N0. 218,431

8 Claims.

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as

amended April 30,

This invention relates to clutches and particularly those clutches of the centrifugal type, wherein the rotation of means on a driving member furnishes the centrifugal force to move those 5 means into engagement with a driven member.

One of the objects of the present invention is the provision of a clutch mechanism of the character described having a plurality of shoes mounted on a driving member and operatively connected with one another for movement in unison under centrifugal force into frictional engagement with a driven member, said shoes and associated parts being symmetrically arranged about their common axis of rotation so as to exert 15 substantially equal pressure per unit area circumferentially of the driven member.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a clutch mechanism of the type designated embodyingmeans for quickly and easily rendering the centrifugally operable shoes ineffective when so desired.

With these and other objects in view, as well as other advantages that may be incident to the use of the improvements, the invention consists in the parts and combinations thereof hereinafter set forth and claimed, and with the understanding that the several necessary elements constituting the same may be varied in proportion and arrangement without departing from the nature and scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims. 7

In order to make the invention more clearly understood, there is shown in the accompanying drawing, means for carrying the invention into practical use, without limiting the improvements in their useful application to the particular construction, which, for the purpose of explanation, have been made the subject of illustration.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view partly in elevation and partly in transverse section of a clutch mechanism constructed in accordance with the invention; and

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, a clutch mechanism constructed according to the present invention is shown as comprising a spool Ill keyed to a driving shaft II and formed with axially spaced flanges l2 and I3. Arranged coaxially with the spool I is a drum l4 keyed to a driven shaft l5 and formed with a circumferential flange 16 which overhangs the flange l3 and the space between this flange and the flange I2. Pivotally mounted on pins ll carried by the flanges l2 and I3 and in the space therebetween are a plurality of levers I8 each formed with a finger l9 disposed in overlapping engagement with the next adjacent lever I8, and with a. pair of 'spaoed ears 20. A shoe 2| -is pivotally mounted on a pin 22 between the ears of each of the levers IB and is formedwith a finger 23 disposed in. overhanging engagement with the end of the next adjacent shoe. The shoes 2| are each formed with an arcuate outer face corresponding to the curvature of the internal circumference of the flange l6 and is provided with a suitable facing 24 for frictional engagement with said flange under centrifugal force when the spool l0 isrotated. Springs 25 are interposed between the levers I8 and the shoes 2| and together with the fingers 19 on the levers l8 and the fingers 23 on theshoes 2|, tend to cause the parts to move in unison into and out of .engagement with the flange l6. g

If and when desired, the clutch may be rendered inoperative by meansof a plurality of pins 26 which are carried by a ring 2'! and which ex-j tend through slots 28 in the flange l2 and through cam slots 29 provided in the levers l8. The ring 21 is mounted for rotation in an annular recess 30 formed in the outer face of the flange I2 and is maintained against displacement therefrom by a ring 3!. Whenthe 'ringZ'l and pins 26 carried thereby occupy the in position, shownfin full lines in Fig. 1, the levers l8 and shoes 2| are free to move into driving engagement with the flange N5 of the drum, but when it is turned to the out position the pins 26, ridingin the slots 28 and 29, cam the levers IB and shoes 2| carried thereby radially inward so as to prevent the shoes from engaging the drum under centrifugal force. In this case the shaft H, spool l0 and parts connected therewith are free to rotate without transmitting power to the drum I4 and shaft I5. The ring 21 may be turned by a suitable spanner engageable with sockets 32 provided in the face of the ring, and is maintained in its desired angular position by a spring detent 33 mounted in the spool lfl'for engagement with recesses 34 formed in the inn-er face of the ring. I

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that there is provided a very simple and rugged clutch mechanism in which the centrifug'ally movable members move in unison and exert equal pressure circumferentially and in which radial movement of the members under centrifugal force is translated into force applied tangentially of the driven member.

The invention as herein described may be modified in construction and arrangement of the parts by those skilled in the art without de- 1. A centrifugal clutch comprising a rotatable driving spool carried by a shaft; a rotatable driven drum surrounding said spool; a plurality of levers carried by said spool; and a plurality of friction shoes carried by said levers for moveone another to cause them to move inunison.

of levers carried by said spool; and a plurality f hsl fi fi' ffi d y 1 E ias I l F "II'ILOV i into driving engagement, [with saja lidj drumi-g und'er, centrifu l force produced by i'the rotatio'nl fof said, spool; adjacent l levers ;be1ng.; e1 1gageabie with' on'efa nother and adjacent 'shos' beingang engageable' withone another to ca'us'e themto move in unison. H Q I 3. A centrifugal lcliitch comprising rotatable: drivingi spool carried by a shaft va iota table driven jdrum sur und n Sa d oo .a. p ura ity of lever member's carried by said spoolilawplural ity r friction,shoe j.members 5 iedfby 's a lever members in: overlapping .rel r t one another for'jmov'ement into drivil'i g ensa m' up, with] said drum 'funder centrifugal force ".pro duced by the v itotatio'ri of'said s pooljanid'me us for locking said shoesrin mmo erwwe os ion, when desired. s w f: 1.} I

4i, Arentrifugal clutch comprising ,a rotatable driving s'pool carriedbyfa shares rotatable driven drum surrounding said spool of lever memberslcarried by; said spo I I v u ity of frictionshoe members carriedlbylsaid. lever" members in overlapping relation to one.Qaiiotherf for movement into driving engagement drums under. centrifugal force produced; by th e rotationf'of said spool. and rrneans engageable with said levers forllocking said"shoies ,in in-Q operative.- positions 4 when desired; a. .l f

5. A centrifugal clutch comprising teatime ivin S29 a r e y as a al wab driven drum surrounding said spool; a plurality of lever members carried by said spool in overlapping relation to one another; a plurality of friction shoe members carried by said lever members for movement into driving engagement with 'J-said drum under,centrifugal force producedby thero'tation ofsaid spooLand a" plural ity of pins carried by said spool and engageable with cam slots in said levers for locking said shoes out of engagement with said drum when desired.

I 6 A centrifugal clutch comprising a rotatable "driving spool carried by a shaft; a rotatable ment into driving engagement swithgsaidndrumn. under centrifugal force produced bya-the rotation" of said spool, said shoes being engageable withdrivenvdrum. surrounding said spool; a plurality :of 'leverwmemb'erscarried by said spool in overlapping 'relatiom to' one another; a plurality of friction shoe members carried by said lever 2. A centrifugal clutch comprising a rotatable driving spool carried bya shaft; 1a rotatable driven drum surrounding said spool; a"plurality" membrs'for movement into driving engagement witli fsaid drmn un'der centrifugal force produced' =bytherotation of said spool, a ring mounted for rotation onsaidspooL and apl-urality of fpin s carri'ed by. said' ring an d engagelab e' withg am slot aid IJ Q s f r "l i aidi h e's o t qflrigagmnfi w h s d d uml '7; A, centrifugal clutch comprising, a rotatable driving"; spool carried by; :a shaft; a rotatable d v dr m ummin d ilapl i x oflleyers carriedj by saidf spoolf. a plurality of frifi ii n' sh esll a r d by id vi f r mq r: m t .i tqr n e ag in n wit v said rum under centrifugal force produced by the, rotation o fjzsaidfspo'ol' said shoes bein'g engageable with. t i yio cau i f mi re n P1 5 1 r l i ifiat an ier s bet e sa d 1 vers and said Shoes to, prevent, adjacent. shoes from movement independently. of one another. A .c t i a s utqh w i sa otata driving mm; arried by a shaft a rotatable r l'd i sl rmlm s i -2 9 0 a lur l of lever fmembers carried by psaid spool in overlapping relation to one another; a 'pluralityloii friction shoe; membersycarried by said lever members forf ,moveme nt' into driving, engage me tf w hv id dru u de v cs i uga ,s p e, amused y r tainer sai ai n mounted'for rotatable adjustment on said sp ool; a ilmlifiv qfflp ns I earned by said. ring; and ex gag eable with cam slots in said ,levers for loclgn d s ts; ut: o v en a em tiw th, id drum; and, means for maintaining said L .ring-- in adjusted position.

- GR YEE' c! mar 

